Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hiroshima and Cebu

For one person, living costs are similar in Hiroshima and in Cebu: $963 and $918 a month, rent and utilities included.

Hiroshima
🇯🇵 Japan
$963
/mo nomad
Cebu
🇵🇭 Philippines
$918
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hiroshima and in Cebu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hiroshima and in Cebu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $963 in Hiroshima versus $918 in Cebu.

  • Hiroshima $963
  • Cebu $918

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,548 in Hiroshima versus $1,409 in Cebu.

  • Hiroshima $1,548
  • Cebu $1,409

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,134 in Hiroshima versus $1,900 in Cebu.

  • Hiroshima $2,134
  • Cebu $1,900

Living in Hiroshima is roughly 5% more expensive than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hiroshima 29% lower, Cebu 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hiroshima
Cebu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.86 ¥926
$3.09 ₱194
89.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.49 ¥4,975
$24.22 ₱1,525
30.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.11 ¥807
$3.92 ₱247
30.36%
Cappuccino
$2.75 ¥434
$2.51 ₱158
9.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96 ¥151
$1.59 ₱100
-39.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ¥101
$0.53 ₱33.43
20.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.69 ¥425
$1.78 ₱112
51.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.88 ¥613
$2.17 ₱137
78.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hiroshima
Cebu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 ¥228
$1.92 ₱121
-24.48%
White Bread (500g)
$1.55 ¥245
$1.36 ₱85.4
13.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.80 ¥759
$1.01 ₱63.5
375.25%
Eggs
$2.06 ¥326
$2.03 ₱128
1.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.89 ¥773
$9.86 ₱621
-50.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.89 ¥931
$4.39 ₱277
34.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.07 ¥1,749
$7.60 ₱479
45.66%
Apples (1kg)
$3.29 ¥520
$3.30 ₱208
-0.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 ¥307
$1.39 ₱87.8
39.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.80 ¥600
$2.33 ₱147
63.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.88 ¥613
$1.50 ₱94.3
158.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.54 ¥244
$2.36 ₱149
-34.75%
Onion (1kg)
$3.43 ¥542
$1.90 ₱119
80.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.36 ¥215
$1.19 ₱74.9
14.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 ¥129
$0.63 ₱39.71
28.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 ¥626
$3.00 ₱189
32.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.84 ¥1,239
$6.03 ₱379
30.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 ¥307
$1.23 ₱77.7
57.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 ¥391
$1.75 ₱110
41.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Hiroshima
Cebu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.92 ¥304
$0.25 ₱15.86
668.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$33.30 ¥5,261
$12.64 ₱796
163.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.74 ¥591
$0.77 ₱48.62
385.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.25 ¥197
$0.23 ₱14.53
443.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.23 ¥3,354
$4.46 ₱281
376.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ¥175
$1.31 ₱82.8
-15.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.9K ¥3.5M
$21.2K ₱1.3M
3.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$14.7K ¥2.3M
$19.1K ₱1.2M
-23.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hiroshima
Cebu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$136 ¥21.5K
$120 ₱7,569
13.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.40 ¥3,855
$14.00 ₱882
74.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.36 ¥4,796
$27.54 ₱1,734
10.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hiroshima
Cebu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.9 ¥8,511
$32.33 ₱2,035
66.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.87 ¥769
$6.65 ₱419
-26.77%
Cinema Ticket
$11.80 ¥1,865
$5.65 ₱356
108.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hiroshima
Cebu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$155 ¥24.4K
$275 ₱17.3K
-43.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,376 ¥533.4K
$7,918 ₱498.5K
-57.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hiroshima
Cebu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.92 ¥4,410
$49.33 ₱3,106
-43.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.33 ¥4,001
$25.24 ₱1,589
0.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$47.84 ¥7,558
$77.0 ₱4,846
-37.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$62.5 ¥9,878
$57.2 ₱3,601
9.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hiroshima
Cebu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$239 ¥37.8K
$500 ₱31.5K
-52.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$192 ¥30.4K
$309 ₱19.4K
-37.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$618 ¥97.7K
$1,078 ₱67.9K
-42.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$501 ¥79.1K
$615 ₱38.7K
-18.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,001 ¥474.2K
$2,886 ₱181.7K
4.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,413 ¥223.2K
$1,917 ₱120.7K
-26.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hiroshima
Cebu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,006 ¥316.9K
$346 ₱21.8K
479.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.21
7.2
-69.31%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Hiroshima: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cebu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Hiroshima
$255
Cebu
$206 19.1% $49
Accommodation & Living
Hiroshima
$192
Cebu
$309 60.7% $117
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hiroshima
$191
Cebu
$162 15.3% $29
Eating Out
Hiroshima
$123
Cebu
$88 28.1% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Hiroshima
$77
Cebu
$44 43.7% $34
Clothing & Footwear
Hiroshima
$74
Cebu
$94 27.6% $20
Getting Around
Hiroshima
$51
Cebu
$16 69.5% $35

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $239 in Hiroshima and $500 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hiroshima pays 480% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $31.00 in Hiroshima vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $206 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Hiroshima
🇵🇭 Cebu
🕒 Local time
23:57 11:57 PM
22:57 10:57 PM
1 h behind Hiroshima
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,200,754
964,169
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hiroshima Cebu 2,820 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Hiroshima
  • Cebu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Hiroshima vs Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cebu cheaper than Hiroshima?
Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Hiroshima or Cebu?
Average pay runs 480% higher in Hiroshima, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Hiroshima and Cebu?
Rent for a central apartment: $239 in Hiroshima versus $500 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Hiroshima and in Cebu?
All in, you'll spend $963 per month in Hiroshima versus $918 in Cebu – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 163% less than in Hiroshima. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,000 enough for either Hiroshima or Cebu?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cebu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Hiroshima or Cebu more family-friendly?
For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Hiroshima, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Hiroshima or Cebu?
Safety-wise, Hiroshima and Cebu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Hiroshima. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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